This Way

This is the first of four studies of trees that I painted on Gesso Board. What a great surface to paint on. I’m usually a die-hard ‘canvas’ gal – I’d tried other surfaces like masonite in years past, and was never fond of how ‘slippery’ they were. The gesso board however seems to be a happy medium – less texture to grab at the brush than canvas, but more than pure masonite. The slightly unpredictable surface it allowed me to really reach beyond my comfort zone and push my boundaries. I let go of my usual wish to control the outcome, and let my intuition play instead.